A note from the Fine Arts Coordinator,
I heard a wonderful quote recently that has resonated with me, and why we do what we do in the Arts at IC Imagine.
Weston Noble, a professor at Luther University, once said:
“Academics feed the mind, Athletics feed the body, and the Arts feed the spirit.”
As we are about to enter a wonderful, but busy season in the IC Imagine Fine Arts Department, please know that this is at the heart of why we do what we do. We recognize that it is our mission as a school to educate, or feed, the whole child, and the Arts are an important part of this.
Make sure to mark your calendars for these events coming up!
March 11, 12, and 13-”The Lion King Kids!” LS Theater Production
March 17- MS/US Spring Chorus Concert
March 19- MS/US Spring Band Concert
May 14, 15, and 16-”The Little Mermaid” MS/US Theater Production
I want to highlight the fact that we have an official IC Imagine Fine Arts Instagram account. Thank you to Ashleigh Watkins for organizing this, and make sure to follow us @ICImagineFineArts!
Our wonderful Booster Club is up and running and already planning amazing events to support the Fine Arts. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to help with the special Valentine’s Photo Booth for Middle and Upper School. Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, February 25th, from 8:00-9:30 am, in the MS/US Chorus room. All are welcome to join us!
Thank you to the parents who are taking on the role of Parent Lead in the Booster Club.
Band: Kathy McElreath and Winslow Dean
Chorus: Kinsey Bevilacqua
Theater: Kerri Eudy
We are still in need of a parent(s) to take on the lead for Visual Arts. Please reach out if this sounds like something you can do!
Finally, one quick reminder, please remember that in order to participate in any IC Imagine Fine Arts event that takes place outside of school hours, students must be present for the school day for at least 3.5 hours on the day of the event. Failure to attend on the day of the event will result in not being allowed to participate in the event.
Melanye Crayton
IC Imagine Fine Arts Coordinator
In the Music World
Lower School Music
LS Musical Theater students are hard at work rehearsing Lion King Kids! There will be performances March 11, 12, and 13 at 6:00 pm. Stay tuned for ticket information! CLICK HERE to watch videos from lower school music classes.
Middle and Upper School Bands
Congratulations to Avett Humes, Henry Bond, Shiv Patel, Rebecca Owings, Merett McElreath, Warren McElreath, and Julian Kasalu on their wonderful performances at Western Carolina University for the Western Region All-District Band clinic!
In March, Shiv Patel and Julian Kasalu will be auditioning for the opportunity to perform in the All-State clinic, which will happen in May.
Make sure not to miss the Jazz Cafe pre-sale that is currently live on Infinite Campus! Pre-orders are $10 for a sandwich, chip, and drink combo. Both the middle and upper school jazz ensembles will be performing in this fundraising event! We appreciate your support.
Class sign-ups are fast approaching. For middle school, we will be offering Beginner Classes, Concert Band, and Jazz Band. For upper school, we will offer Symphonic Winds (NEW), Wind Symphony, and Jazz Band. Email Ms. Orange or Mr. Tippins with any questions.
Look out for emails sent out about Dollywood. The initial deadline has passed, but please let the ICI Band Directors know if you have any questions!
Middle and Upper School Chorus
The Middle School Choruses are hard at work preparing for their Music Performance Adjudications (MPAs) in both performance and sight reading in March. Both classes have spent time this month continuing to build on their knowledge of how to read and sing music at sight, as well as working to prepare their concert and MPA pieces. They are also starting to prepare for their trip to Dollywood in April!
The Upper School Choruses are working on some very difficult music in preparation for their MPAs in March, as well as preparing for their competition in Disney in April. All three choruses have also spent time this month building on their knowledge of how to read and sing music at sight.
Just a reminder, with Upper School class registration right around the corner, we have 2 Middle School Choruses, a Beginner Chorus for students new to choral singing, and an Intermediate Chorus. We also have three upper school choruses, an entry level Mixed Chorus that is open to anyone to join, an audition based Chamber Choir, and an audition based Section Ensemble (for 10th-12th grades and limited to 10 students). We are always looking for more voices to join us, so come by the chorus room some time to find out about the ways you can join!
Lastly, junior Veda Rhodin, who was selected in September, participated in the 77th Annual Mars Hill University Choral Festival on February 6th and 7th. Veda sang soprano in a choir of 300 voices that consisted of students from all over the state of North Carolina. Under the direction of Dr. Edith A. Copley, the students rehearsed Friday afternoon and Saturday morning and then presented an incredible concert Saturday afternoon. As part of participating in this choir, Veda will receive a $92,000 scholarship if she chooses to attend Mars Hill University. Congratulations Veda! We are so proud of you and the way you represent IC Imagine!
In the Theater World
Lower School Theater
LS Musical Theater students are hard at work rehearsing Lion King Kids! There will be performances March 11, 12, and 13 at 6:00 pm. Stay tuned for ticket information!
Middle School Theater
Our Middle School Theater students presented for our Lower School Investments group yesterday. The Beginner class presented three “Emotion Masks” scenes, and our Intermediate class performed two distinct improv scenes, based on audience suggestions. It was a big success!
Upper School Theater
In Upper School Theater, our Theatre Arts I students are working on their performances of original monologues written in class.
Our Devised Works combined class (Theatre Arts II, Technical Theatre, and Advanced Theatre) began the work of developing their themes and characters for their original One Act - to be performed at our Fine Arts Showcase on June 5th.
In the Visual Arts World
Lower School Visual Art
5th Grade Students explored the inspiring story of Ed Welburn, the former head of global design at General Motors, whose passion for car design began in childhood and continued despite challenges of discrimination. Inspired by his journey, students used Sketchpad, an online art tool, to design their own car profiles.
4th Grade students are studying the work of various textile artists and creating their own simple weavings. We have just finished setting up our looms and putting on warp strings.
K-3rd These students are studying the work of two of modern art’s most influential figures, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Both artists began by creating art in public spaces and are known for using powerful symbols to communicate ideas. Inspired by their work, students are creating original artworks that incorporate personal symbols and emulating the unique style of each artist.
Middle School Visual Art
Mural Makers Make their Mark: 6th and 7th
Last year was the first year that I made murals with my classes in our halls. It was a great success,and so this year we are doing it again. Currently, over 40 new public artworks are being created by students in my 6th and 7th grade classes. Here is a photo of the artists at work and one of the murals that is nearly complete by one of my 6th graders. More to come soon.
8th graders have been working on a personal project. They planned and prepared for how they would use 10 class periods, and we are currently about halfway through. Here are a few of the products that have been created so far:
Upper School Visual Art
Art 1 Students are currently exploring one-point perspective while creatively designing their names using color. This project helps them understand depth, space, and how color can enhance visual impact.
Art 2 We are diving into 19th-century Pointillism, and students are enthusiastically building images through carefully placed dots of color. It has been exciting to watch their patience and creativity grow as their compositions develop.
Stained Glass students are working on 8 × 8 stained glass pieces and will soon begin circular symmetry projects. I am very proud of the craftsmanship and focus they have shown so far.
3D Sculpture class has just completed their Tin Can Butterfly sculptures and is now beginning the design stage of their wooden wand project. Their initial concepts are strong, and I am looking forward to seeing their finished pieces.
